At a time when the government is assessing how best to increase the housing stock and affordable housing, there is a need to assess whether the planning system is producing suitable housing such as one and two bedroom affordable houses, and certain types of rented housing, in suitable areas. This is why I applied for a debate on these issues in the Commons.
In this debate, I highlighted concerns regarding incursions into the Green Belt, building on unsuitable sites such as Flood Plains and the role of the Planning Inspectorate. In particular, there are concerns surrounding the ambiguity in defining ‘exceptional circumstances’ in the context of the Green Belt, as laid out in the National Planning Policy Framework. My concerns have grown since the publication of Local Plans, some of which include entirely unsuitable developments.
This is an issue I continue to raise with the Department for Communities and Local Government. You can read the debate on this issue here: https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2018-02-06c.1416.0#g1416.2